A catch and a reflex show how messages move through the nervous system in this 3-page 5th grade science sheet. Page 1 gives five cards about catching a ball, from the eyes seeing it to the arm and hand muscles moving, and students number them 1 to 5. Page 2 shows a four-box reflex flow for touching something hot and asks why a reflex is faster than a decision. The answer key gives the card order and a model answer.
4-LS1-2
“Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways.”
The catching steps follow the eyes, nerves, brain and muscles, and the reflex diagram shows a response that skips the brain.
Five cards in a table, lettered A to E, with an empty box beside each. Students write the numbers 1 to 5 to put the steps in order.
A diagram of four colored boxes joined by arrows: skin senses heat, message goes to the spinal cord, spinal cord sends a message straight back, hand pulls away.
One written question with five lines. Students use the steps from page 1 and the reflex diagram to explain why a reflex is faster than a decision.
The card order D, B, E, A, C with step numbers, and a model answer to the reflex question.
Act it out
Have one student pretend to catch a ball while the class calls out each step in order. It makes the number of steps visible.
Compare the two paths
Ask students to count the stops in the catching sequence and in the reflex diagram. The reflex skips the brain's decision, which is the answer to the final question.
Link to safety
Follow up by asking when a fast reflex protects us. Students often name hot stoves and sharp objects.
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